Lutsenko Wins Paris-Nice Stage Five

Last updated : 11 March 2016 By CNS Sport

Alexey Lutsenko of Astana, has taken the victory on the fifth stage of the Paris-Nice race.

Stage five with Michael Matthews still in the leader's jersey, was a 198km stage from Castelnuovo val di Cecina to Montalto di Castro.which included part of the Mont Ventoux climb regularly used in the Tour De France.

Stijn Vandenbergh (Etixx-Quick Step), Arnaud Courteille (FDJ), Jesus Herrada (Movistar), Lars Boom (Astana), Antoine Duchesne (Direct Energie), Wouter Wippert (Cannondale), Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo), and Matthias Brandle (IAM Cycling) were the escapers and got ten minutes clear over the Col de la Madeleine.

Next was the Chalet Reynard climb on Mont Ventoux and riders started to be dropped all over the road with Alexis Gougeard and Andre Greipel abandoning.

The five had 55 seconds on Theuns, Wippert & Brandle and six minutes on the peloton with 83kms gone.

As they took on the  second category Col du Pointu with 77kms left, their lead stood at 5.15 on the peloton with Wippert a minute behind the front group.

As the gap came down to 1.45, there was a crash which took down a number of riders. Thankfully, everyone was able to continue.

Duschene took the points on the next climb and the next one after getting away.  The Canadian nearly took a tumble on a tight turn but kept control of his bike and carried on leading with twenty five kilometres to go. 

Lutsenko caught up to Duschene and took over the lead. The Astana rider was not to be beaten and won ahead of Alexander Kristoff and Michael Matthews who extended his lead in the race.